Human remains found in eastern Arizona canyon

Copyright 2011 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

SHOW LOW, AZ - Human remains were found at the bottom of Hagen Hill, near Show Low, after officers hiked nearly an hour to check out an abandoned car, according to authorities.

Officers from the White Mountain Apache Tribe, the Navajo County Sheriff's Office and the Show Low Fire Department were notified a car might have driven off the road 18 miles west of Show Low on June 4.

Once they realized the car wasn't previously marked showing it had already been investigated, they hiked into the canyon and found human remains in and outside of the vehicle, the Navajo County Sheriff's Office said.

Officers said it looked like the car may have been there for several months and called in a Tucson DPS helicopter to help move the remains.

The remains were turned over to the Navajo County Medical Examiner's Office, Begg said. They will then be taken to the Pima County Forensic Science Center in Tucson so examiners can determine the cause of death and identify the remains.

Officers say evidence found at the scene indicates the person or persons found may have been from Lancaster, PA. Detectives have since been in contact with the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office.

The Navajo County Sheriff's Office wants to remind the public if they have any information about this case or any other crime they can anonymously call the tip line WETIP .

Copyright 2011 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.